The field of the invention is mechanisms for manually operating disconnect switches, and more specifically, spring loaded trip mechanisms for rotating the crossbar on a disconnect switch such as that disclosed in copending patent application Ser. No. 516,388 filed on Oct. 21, 1974, and entitled "Disconnect Switch."
Disconnect switches such as that disclosed in the above cited patent application include a crossbar which is mounted for rotation about a horizontal axis and which carries a set of contacts between an opened and closed position. A trip mechanism couples the crossbar to a manually operable handle which is typically mounted to the front of an enclosure that houses the disconnect switch and associated electrical equipment. The trip mechanism either connects to one end of the crossbar as disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 1,918,248, or it may connect to a point intermediate the ends of the crossbar as disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,602,676.
Prior trip mechanisms are often integral with the particular disconnect switch which they operate and in many cases must be mounted in enclosures having specified dimensions. As a result, there is no flexibility as to where on the enclosure the handle can be mounted and modifications must often be made to the trip mechanism to accommodate different sized enclosures. Also, the coupling of the handle to the trip mechanism on prior structures often involves the connection of many elements and the use of a number of fastening means.